At a Technology Training...

I wanted to post my thoughts here that I had to post elsewhere for training in my district, because I think the video which I hope to link in this, is particularly interesting as it applies to language acquisition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpK7h4mjUhM&feature=youtu.be

But here is what I wrote in response to one question about the video:

Regarding the question of what the implications of the research on teaching and learning are, I was fascinated by the historic view of technology, and indeed it is an important question to ask.  If we do not know where we've been and how we got started, we will not fully appreciate where we are going.

I think what is important to take away here is understanding HOW this relates to us being human.  In fact, at the beginning he says something about us understanding which technologies relate most deeply to what makes us profoundly human.  His examination and description of the characteristics (social, mobility, visualization, story telling, and gaming) truly make me think about how we use technology and why.  That is, if the technology doesn't truly enhance and improve these areas of what makes us profoundly human, then why use it?  So in the classroom, the importance for me will be if I am trying to fit my objective into technology, or if technology is that invisible but critical means of communicating in a more effective way that which I need to teach.

When studying the humanists' approach to teaching Latin in the 1500s, you will find many of these characteristics (social, story telling, and gaming come to mind) used.  And in fact, at a recent classics conference (CAMWS - Classical Association of the Middle West and South), I took part in a panel where the most tech savvy among us was saying, "Why don't we have legitimate gaming in Latin?"  Gaming.  Now, I don't feel everything should come down to gaming, but he was expressing one of these aspects where appropriate use of technology can push us to the next level.